Talking to the Patient Nowadays and Why it Matters

• Meeting a patient’s expectations is fundamental in ensuring a satisfactory outcome in clinical practice. Satisfied, happy patients are more likely to have better clinical outcomes, increased adherence to treatment plans and are less likely to complain or sue.
• However, given the complexity of clinical practice in an era of high pressure, short consultations, increase administrative requirements, and the vast array of diagnostic tests and treatment options that need to be considered and discussed, providing quality care and meeting the multiple demands of today’s patient is even more challenging for the practicing dermatologist.
• In addition, patients today are armed with increased expectations, driven by information from the internet and social media, which may be unrealistic and inaccurate. Research has shown that effective doctor-patient communication is one of the most critical factors needed for a successful consultation and outcome.
• Basic skills for an effective patient-centered communication include reflective listening, showing empathy and an emphasis on shared decision making. Additional strategies to handle the unhappy patient include timely patient engagement, transparency, promote service recovery, increased care and a sincere effort to resolve patient’s concerns. These skills need to be learnt and refined, and hopefully, we will not only meet, but exceed, our patient?s expectations at every visit.

Tang M. – Managing patient expectations in practice. Hong Kong Dermatology Symposium – October 2016